The pair were the most ravishing blonde beauties Flick had ever seen. They had skin like alabaster, eyes like cornflower pools and a wealth of ringlets almost as golden as her own. She expected them to hang back-they might be younger than she, but she was definitely not in their social league. To her surprise, they smiled at her delightedly-every bit as delightedly as their mother and aunts had-and swooped forward to link arms with her.
"Excellent! I thought this party would be just the usual thing-pleasant but hardly exciting. Instead, we get to meet you!"
Flick blinked-she glanced from one to the other, trying to remember which was which. "I've never thought of myself as exciting."
"Hah! You must be, otherwise Demon would never have looked your way."
The second girl laughed. "Don't mind Amanda." She grinned as Flick glanced around. "I'm Amelia. You'll get used to telling us apart-we're not identical."
They weren't, but they were very much alike.
"Tell us," Amelia urged, "how long have you known Demon?"
"We ask," Amanda put in, "because until the last few weeks he's been severely testing our sanity by watching over us at the balls and major parties."
"Indeed. So we know he went up to Newmarket a few weeks ago. Is that where you met him?"
"We did meet at Newmarket," Flick agreed, "but I've lived there since I was seven, and I've known Demon from the first."
Both girls stared at her, then Amanda frowned. "What the devil's he been doing, keeping you hidden away like that?"
"Excuse us for asking, but you are older than us, aren't you? We're eighteen."
"I'm twenty," Flick replied. The twins were taller and certainly more socially assured, but there was a subtle difference; she hadn't imagined herself younger than them.
"So why," Amanda reiterated, "didn't Demon bring you down last year? He's not one for dragging his boots-not him."
"He does tend to drive fast," Flick grinned. "He didn't bring me down last year, because… well, he didn't really know I existed last year."
That comment, of course, led to further questions, further revelations. Which cleared the way for Flick to ask why Demon had been watching them.
"Sometimes I think it's simply to drive us mad, but truly they can't seem to help themselves, poor dears."
Amanda shook her head. "It's something in the blood."
"Luckily, once they marry, they're not such a bother. They'd still interfere if they could, mind you, but Honoria, Patience and Catriona have so far kept Devil, Vane and Richard out of our way." Amelia looked at Flick. "And now you'll be here to keep Demon occupied."
"With any luck," Amanda added dryly,"the others will find ladies to dote on before we become ape-leaders."
Flick grinned. "Surely they can't be that inhibiting."
"Oh, can't they?" the twins chorused. They promptly recounted a series of events illustrating their claim, in the process giving Flick vignettes of Demon within the ton-surrounded by beautiful women. Sensing her interest, the twins dismissively waved aside his London conquests.
"Don't worry about them-they never last long, and now he'll be too busy with you."
"Watching over you, thank heaven!" Amanda raised her eyes to the skies. "Only got two more to go."
Amelia chuckled, and looked at Flick. "Gabriel and Lucifer."
"Who?"
The twins laughed, and explained about their older male cousins, the group known as the Bar Cynster.
"We're not supposed to know about the Bar Cynster, so remember not to mention it to Demon," Amanda warned.
They continued, giving her a potted history of the family-who was whose child, brother, sister. They beckoned the only younger girl over-their cousin, Heather, nearly sixteen.
"I won't be presented until next year," Heather sighed, "but Mama said I could attend the family events this year. Aunt Louise is giving an informal ball next week."